The Definition and Division of Sunna and Bid‘a

Question

(1) What do the scholars of the religion and the muftis of the firm Sacred Law say concerning the following: what is the correct meaning of “sunna”, and what is called sunna? What is the definition of sunna from the standpoint of the Sacred Law? Please set out the kinds of sunna and the details thereof with reference to the books of fiqh. (2) What is the correct meaning of “bid‘a”, and what is called bid‘a? What is the definition of bid‘a from the standpoint of the Sacred Law?

Answer

(1) “Sunna” in the language means “a way”, whether good or bad; thus in the noble hadith both a good sunna (sunna hasana) and a bad sunna (sunna sayyi’a) are mentioned. The technical definition is this: [ar]طَرِيقَةٌ مَسْلُوكَةٌ فِي الدِّينِ بِقَوْلٍ أَوْ فِعْلٍ مِنْ غَيْرِ لُزُومٍ وَلَا إِنْكَارٍ عَلَى تَارِكِهَا وَلَيْسَتْ خُصُوصِيَّةً[/ar] “A way followed in the religion,…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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